SKALE2CT: third seminar “Policies and Strategies"
The SKALE2CT project recently gathered international stakeholders, policymakers, and startups ecosystem players in Porto, Portugal, for a dynamic two-day event focused on entrepreneurship, business acceleration, and international scaling strategies.
Hosted by ANI | Agência Nacional de Inovação, the event fostered collaboration and knowledge exchange to improve policy frameworks and support mechanisms for startups.
The event kicked off with the hybrid seminar “Co-Creating and Innovative Tools for Startup Growth and Acceleration,” which brought together experts from ANI, Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN), and leading Portuguese startups iLoF and PICadvanced. The seminar focused on the challenges startups face in accessing the right support frameworks and how public policies can be better tailored to meet their evolving needs. Speakers shared practical strategies for scaling businesses, securing funding, and expanding into international markets, providing attendees with valuable insights and best practices for sustainable growth.
In the afternoon, participants visited UPTEC (Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto), a key innovation hub supporting startups, scale-ups, and research centers. The visit provided an immersive experience into Porto’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and the role of incubation and acceleration programs. Delegates also had the opportunity to engage with pioneering companies, including:
- DIGESTAID – AI-driven digestive health solutions
- Vasco da Gama CoLAB – Innovations in energy storage
- Everythink – Creative and design-driven technology solutions
- Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS – Cutting-edge applied research
The final day of the event was dedicated to strategic planning among SKALE2CT partners, focusing on project milestones, policy development, and future actions. The discussions reinforced the importance of collaborative approaches in strengthening regional innovation ecosystems.
Looking ahead, the next major SKALE2CT event will take place in Riga in May, where workshops will emphasize a bottom-up approach to policy improvement. The goal is to gather direct feedback from key stakeholders and refine scaling-up services to better serve startups and innovators.